Mini Audit

The weaknesses of curriculum alignment are vast and troubling, but I would prioritize aligning the issues with written curriculum aligning with taught curriculum, and the hidden curriculum with weaknesses in the supported curriculum to better reinforce the written and taught curricula.

Overall, there is little evidence to suggest that one area of curriculum supports another. I anticipate, looking at school-wide factors outside of the area I chose to focus on, that the impacts of this misalignment are greater in math, history, and science, where the course progressions are changing to meet new common core requirements. In these other subjects our students have not preformed at the exemplary level that they have in English. Combined with the addition of new literacy requirements placed on all subjects, I assess that there is an even larger gap in the alignment of the curriculum within math, history and science.

Action Plan

Based on my assessment of there being a serious misalignment among all seven identified curriculum types, I have developed a two-pronged action plan, targeting the following four curriculum types: taught, assessed, supported, and hidden.

Phase One

Phase one of my action plan is to tackle the most solvable weaknesses in the supported and hidden curriculum. It would well be in the circle of influence of a principal, in conjunction with the Leadership Council to redesign the Professional Development calendar to include meaningful presentations on the instructional shifts of the Common core. Additionally, the future year’s discretionary funds could be spent in the purchase of Common core aligned student materials and resources; even the purchase of a single set for each teacher could be a dramatic improve...

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...eaknesses. The process must be consciously constructed, but must come from an organic process of learning and risk-taking. It was an interesting journey putting this research and recommendation together. In the research and analysis phase, I learned how overwhelmingly large and complex problems with misalignment can be. But in the process of creating an action plan, I learned how easy it is to address curricular misalignment through simple steps, many of which can be delegated to committees who have their own passion for this work. As principal, you must face the realization that you cannot complete the work alone, that you cannot manifest change through the force of your personality. Ultimately, however, it is your leadership and vision for change, your willingness to support the work that must be done that will drive the improvement of teaching and learning.